King Charles Makes Funny (and Humble) Reference to That Viral Pen Incident

Royals: They're just like us. And by that, I mean that sometimes they are haunted by embarrassing moments even years after they happen. Remember back in September 2022 when King Charles struggled with a leaking pen during a signing ceremony—getting ink all over his and Queen Camilla 's hands—and remarked to an aid, "I can't bear this bloody thing! Every stinking time"? Well, it seems the moment has stayed with the monarch , 75, who recently made reference to the incident nearly two years later.

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On Wednesday, ahead of his annual holiday in Balmoral , the king made a visit to a peat bog in Scotland that was recently named a Unesco world heritage site. Before signing the site's visitor center's guest book, he quipped, "I'm hoping that my pen is going to work. It doesn't usually."

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It's actually not the first time the royal has joked about the funny pen mishap. Back in October 2023, during a speech in London that touched on serious issues like climate change and global unrest, Charles added a moment of levity when he praised the healing power of humor.

He said, "The British sense of humour is world-renowned. It is not what we do. It is who we are. Our ability to laugh at ourselves is one of our great national characteristics. Just as well, you may say, given some of the vicissitudes I have faced with frustratingly failing fountain pens this past year !"

So kudos to Charles for a) not shying away from poking fun at himself and b) not having yet another issue with his pen during this latest outing.

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